Kuwait is set to commence its membership at the UN Security Council (UNSC) beginning 1st January, 2018, after a 40-year hiatus, amidst many regional and global challenges.

The Kuwait News Agency, KUNA, quoted Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Kuwait's Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs, in earlier statements, as saying that Kuwait will continue being neutral in resolving different issues.

He added that Kuwait would fully cooperate with UNSC's Member States to peacefully end conflicts and wars. Sheikh Sabah also stressed the importance of reforms within the UN organizations to allow them to properly execute their duties around the world.

Kuwait will have a two-year membership at the council and will succeed Egypt in representing the Arab Group in the UN.

KUNA also quoted Kuwait's permanent envoy to the UN Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi as saying that 188 out 193 UN General Secretariat Member States voted for Kuwait's membership, which shows that the country had gained the trust of the international community.

"Kuwait's top priorities are to prevent conflicts before they occur, mediation in terms of the UN's articles and reforming the UN General Secretariat and the UNSC," he added.

He also highlighted the need of Arab representation in the council that would meet aspirations of Arab states, to properly demonstrate their cases and issues on the UN's agenda.

Al-Otaibi also called for increasing the number of the council's member states, adding that Arab countries are demanding a permanent Arab seat at the Council.